Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-27

cannot remember tenth the lad'
said. Each newcomer seemed 10 add
fuel to the fire OF her talk; bonmots
anecdotes, unexpected sallics flew from
her lips. She would lean forward il
her monologue, and every man-Jack o
MS would fix his eyes on her. Yet no
one of us could have sworn TO her fea
lures or coloring. The strain of he
conversation was blended equally Of th'
past and present always local, full o
names that are but ghosts to-day, orar'
heard in that haunt of ghosts, the His
torical Society. / noticed tendenc,
to use French phrases at every twist anC
turn. She spoke of Burr.
"Ah, there was a man was so il
love with him, intellectually, Of course
that l used to watch for him when h,
came from his law-oflice. II was mo-
the thing TO know him. He was
scapegrace, perhaps; but what a face
what spirit, what eyes, what q bul
Some day | must tell you how got Il
know him, and what | had to suffeI
from my family in consequence.
As she talked | noticed that she nevel
allowed one of the group about her t.
feel that he was not III the conversation
| Did his interest relax a moment or his
thoughts wander from her, she OWNED
it instantly and was down on him as
quick as magic. Now it was direct
question-always answered by her
self now turn of the head, and again
a movement Of the fan. The group in
the gallery attracted general attention
and several couples began TO move to-
ward it. AT last ! saw that Mrs. de
Stiles curiosity was at its height and
she was coming.
Doubtless, through all the flow of her
"reminiscences and social conclusions,
the strange lady perceived this quite as
well as /. She rose suddenly, motion
ed me to give her my arm, saluted the
group of now standing men with a
couItsey that was in itself liberal edu-
cation for society, and carried me of
down one flight of steps as Mrs. de
Sille began to ascend the other. Her
little hand, clad in black mitts, through
which sbone an ivory skin, did not
feel warm or heavy. 1t was there, but
it gave me an Undesirable feeling,
not chilly, but as the arm of a
lay figure, and / detected in the
air what seemed faint smell
of lavender. Chatting agreeably, she
sauntered with me across the ball
room, CHANGING at the pictures, asking
their names, but seeming not to heed
my answers. Pausing at the door, l
cast look at the gallery and saw Mrs.
de Sille looming outrageous at this
uncivil departure. She was in guam
Diary, not knowing but that merry
peal Of laughter might apprise her Of
joke played by some young girl. As
We went people stopped and stared at
the gown, the embroidered stockings,
and the air of perfect aplomb. We
walked through fernery and hall,
dining-roOm and drawing-rooms, till
we reached the grand hall, where the
stairway rises, fight by fight, through
the centre of the house.
"Wait for me here, she whispered.
Il have TO arrange my dress it is very
Old, and | see seam is breaking Al
rctOir t0nt tit" Ie
She ran lightly up the broadldark
stairs, showing her perfect figure to
advantage as she moved, and from the
landing above leaned over so that ]
saw her dark eyes for n moment-and
let fall something that swirled and
swirled unevenly, like an autumn leaf,
down to where | stood. IT was nothing
but IA sprig of immortelles such as one
associates with the grave, not with
young woman capricious enough to play
Il hoax on ballroom, beautiful enough
to hold the eyes of every man who saw
her.
waited patiently. The last guests
were going. Mrs. de Sille came with
them to the hall.
al want Won to stay" she cried.
{, And 1 must stay" said !, for the
stranger-or some wonderful actress
among our friends-is still upstairs
and babe me wait for her"
| thought my hostess looked agitated,
and fastened to assure her that the lady
could not have had wrong intentions /;
that she would he down presently and
doubtless reveal her identity. A foot
man went upstairs, returned, and re-
ported from the maid-servants that all
the ladies were gone.
d" Impossible" said |. "Not one
lady came down that stair whom | did
not know, nor one who could have
played that part. She issomewhere up
stairs. D."
Mrs. de Sille was frightened. Orders
were given to the butler to have the lower
house thoroughly searched. Then the
first floor was ransacked. 4 waiting
maid had seen the lady we sought going
toward the second story, and had moi
seen her descend. We looked at each
other in surprise. The search then
spread to the third story, whence no
cgress was possible except by the main
stairs. The butler had noticed the
lady also, owing to her remarkable
dress, and on talking with the footmen
at the door said that it appeared the
lady had not entered by the main en-
trance that evening. The third story
was searched to no purpose, and we
came to a broad door that leads to the
wide and high garnet of Mrs. de Stiles
"She's up there" said Mrs. de Sille,
now quite white with excitement.
Lamps were brought. and ] led the
wayup TO the garrett, filed, as all garrets
are, with all sorts of unexpected things
under their coverlets OF
dust. We pokcd and pried in every
corner to no purpose. Not a suggestion
was there of that fresh young pres
ence, whose wit and beauty had made
such profound impression on me that
| was ready TO defend her, no matter
what solecism she might be found to
have committed 1t was now plain
however, that she had vanished, and,
not content with playing her rite to
perfection, left our curiosity IN.
With lamp i'll my
hand l scrutinized the floor, looking
for marks in the dust In one alcove,
corresponding to a dOrmer-window in
the roof, did trace a long, broadish
mark on the boards. Ii led to m old.
iron-bound trunk, behind which stood
a large, oblong, square frame, with
lingy canvas, the face of the picture
turned to the wall. Examining the
runk / saw that fingers had touched II
and, trying the lid, l opened
i. There, packed carefully in linen
With lavender, lay the Empire dress, or